معرفی
Clare Smith is an Assistant Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and Cell Biology at Duke University's School of Medicine, and a member of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute. Her lab is located in the Jones Building at Duke's campus in Durham, NC, where she conducts high-containment tuberculosis research within the Duke Regional Biocontainment Laboratory. Dr. Smith collaborates closely with the Tobin Lab, with whom she shares joint lab meetings to translate findings across species and clinical samples.
Dr. Smith received her Bachelor of Biotechnology with first-class honors from the University of Tasmania in Australia, where she discovered her interest in host genetics and disease susceptibility. She completed her Ph.D. at the Menzies Research Institute under Prof. Simon Foote, identifying a red cell factor essential for Plasmodium falciparum growth. Her postdoctoral work was conducted in Prof. Christopher Sassetti's lab at UMass Medical School, where she developed a "dual genome" system to probe host-pathogen interactions in tuberculosis.
Her research focuses on how host genetic diversity, bacterial variation, and their interactions drive tuberculosis disease states. The Smith Lab leverages diverse mammalian genetics panels (including the Collaborative Cross and BXD resources) in combination with cutting-edge mycobacterial genetic approaches such as transposon mutant libraries (TnSeq), CRISPRi, and ORBIT technology. This dual host-pathogen approach allows comprehensive interrogation of the genetic interactions underlying TB disease severity, drug responses, and vaccine efficacy. Her work has identified mouse strains that recapitulate distinct human TB disease states and protective immunity.
Analysis of Dr. Smith's recent publications reveals a strong focus on host-pathogen genetic interactions in tuberculosis, with particular emphasis on how host genetic diversity influences infection outcomes. Her work spans multiple methodologies including systems genetics, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, and bacterial genetic screens. A notable trend is her development of resources like the MtbTnDB database to advance the field. Her research bridges basic science with translational applications for developing novel TB interventions.
- Pew Biomedical Scholar (2024)
- Mary Lyon Award from IMGS
- PEW Scholars Awardee
Dr. Smith has secured significant grant funding including the Pew Scholars Program award (2024-2029), multiple NIH/NIAID grants for tuberculosis research (2022-2027), and University of Massachusetts Medical School funding. Her lab trains graduate students and researchers in high-containment BSL3 procedures for tuberculosis research. She actively mentors through the MGM graduate Women in Science group and serves as faculty mentor for departmental initiatives.
The Smith Lab maintains strong collaborations, particularly with the Tobin Lab, and contributes to community resources like the MtbTnDB database. Lab members are trained in BSL3 procedures to safely conduct tuberculosis research within the Duke Regional Biocontainment Laboratory. The lab leverages diverse mammalian genetics panels in combination with advanced mycobacterial technologies to dissect the complex host-pathogen interactions underlying tuberculosis.
